


Returning Home

by Mullach



Series: Avatar: Post Comics Fanon [6]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Drama, F/M, Fluff, Humor, Identity Issues, Post-Canon, Romance, Series, Slow Burn, Tradition vs Change, post-comics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-23
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2020-07-11 18:04:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19932244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mullach/pseuds/Mullach
Summary: Suki, having spent some time reflecting on the events of Ba Sing Se, returns to Kyoshi Island after nearly three years. Her mind and heart are confused, pulled in different directions. Unfortunately, it seems not all of the Kyoshi Warriors who remained are happy to see her return. As the days go on, and the time to return to the Fire Nation with Zuko nears, perhaps Suki may need to decide where her heart lies.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Sequel to An Old Flame. Welcome to the 6th part of my Avatar series! First, apologies for such a long hiatus. The past year and a bit has been quite stressful with school, exams and other things. I lost a lot of the will to write for a while, and even now it only comes in bursts. I have the 2nd chapter almost finished. I'm looking for a beta to look over it, and once it's finished, it'll be posted. I can't say how long it will take for chapter 3 to be done, but at the very least, I thought it was time to at least show I'm not dead! I hope you enjoy. ^^

A cheer went up around the ring as Ami hit the mat with a thud, a groan leaving her lips and her hair coming loose of its tie, flowing from the sides of her head like a river. Maiko dusted off her hands, posed in front of her crowd of sisters, and gave a bow before turning and offering her hand to her friend.

"Nice sweep," Ami said, and sat up. She rolled the shoulder she had landed on, a grimace appearing on her face, and reached with the other to take the helpful hand. Her pained expression vanished as she gripped her friend's wrist, planted a foot in the middle of her pelvis, and pulled sharply downward while powering her up and over her. Maiko could only let out a short yelp when she found herself upside down before crashing onto the mat.

Maiko narrowed her eyes as she stared at the ceiling. "Ow," she muttered monotonously, which caused Ami, along with the crowd of Kyoshi Warriors watching, to fall into a fit of laughter. The laughter drowned out the many expletives that Maiko began to hurl at her best friend.

Suki shook her head, unable to hide her grin while Ty Lee, one hand wrapped around her stomach, used her captain as support while she laughed. "That was a bit of a dirty move," Suki commented as Maiko gave Ami a few moderately light punches to the arm.

Ty Lee sat back and shrugged her shoulders. "Well, you have always told us to fight dirty if given the chance."

"That's different," she told her with a roll of her eyes. "That was a little unfair though, and a bit dangerous. I think some light discipline is needed." The grey-eyed girl tiled her head and raised an eyebrow.

"Wait, are you actually going to punish her for a bit of fun?"

Suki bit her lip and looked away from Ty Lee and back to the two girls. "Nothing too serious. She'll just have to carry Maiko's stuff when we land and when we're leaving."

"Okay..." Ty Lee said, looking carefully at Suki's eyes, which still refused to return her gaze.

She was about to press the matter when two of her sisters ran into the room from the platform at the front of the ship. Their eyes were wide with excitement and big grins were spread across their faces.

"Everyone, outside! Hurry up!" the raven yelled before turning around and rushing back out onto the platform, her short bob cut swinging with every step.

Suki stood up, eyes trained on the remaining girl whose light brown locks flowed down her back like a waterfall, stopping just below her hips. Suki made a mental note to scold her for leaving her hair down while on duty again. _If this keeps up, I'm going to cut it._ "Kasumi, is everything okay?"

She gave a couple of quick nods. "Yeah," came the breezy reply. "Hurry up!" She followed after her sister, leaving the other girls to look around at each other for a few moments before standing and going to check what was causing the commotion. They quickly filed out and found the two girls staring over the edge of the walkway.

Ty Lee pulled her green kimono tighter around her body. "This better be important. It's freezing up here."

"Typical Fire Nation, can't handle the cold," one of her sisters teased, gently poking the acrobat in the side with her elbow.

"She used to spend all of her free time sitting by the fire for her first couple of months on the island," Suki added, getting a laugh from the group. Ty Lee pretended to pout but couldn't hide the smile that came to her lips. She smirked when she saw more of the girls subtly pull their own clothing tighter as a sharp wind blew across them.

"Look, down there!" Kasumi called out, pointing down at the expansive deep blue ocean. Tiny islands dotted the water in a way that, when joined together, formed a jagged line leading from the coast of the main continent to the Island of Kyoshi.

As the Kyoshi Warriors watched, a large Elephant Koi broke the surface of the water. This sight caused the excitement that had been building in them since they had left the Fire Nation to finally burst. Whoops and shouts resonated among the group, and some of the girls leaned over the railing to wave down at the many Elephant Koi that were beginning to jump out of the water.

"Wait! We must be close to home then!" Maiko said. She rushed to the end of the platform, followed by Ami and two other girls. They stood on their tippy-toes, trying to spot the crescent-shaped island, to no avail. Suki stood slightly outside of the main group of chattering warriors, leaning on the railing and enjoying the spectacle of the jumping Elephant Koi. Her eyes narrowed as she focused on a large shadow that seemed to follow the fish and gaining speed rapidly. She looked up at the underbelly of the airship before scanning the visible sky, finding no sun or object to either side of them. Due to the shadow of the airship, she was certain the sun was directly above them, blocked by the body of the airship. She couldn't understand where that other shadow was coming from. She furrowed her brow and her hands gripped the railings tighter, turning her knuckles white.

"Is everything alright down there?"

The voice broke Suki's concentration. She looked up at the windows of the airship above the platform. The Fire Lord was resting against the large open window of the captain's room. He had a grin on his face as he looked down at them. Some of the girls yelled out, telling him about the Elephant Koi, and he leaned just a bit more out of the window, his mouth beginning to water as the lovely smell and taste came to memory.

His eyes shifted to the girl who had been with him the night of that discovery. They held on her for a beat before darting away. They hadn't spoken much for the past two weeks since leaving Ba Sing Se—at least, not as much as he would have liked. Even after their conversation before they had left the capital, he always felt like things were tense whenever they were together, especially when they were alone. He looked back at her, finding her looking right at him, and cocked his head to the side from the confused, almost concerned, look on her face.

"Zuko," she called, urgency in her voice. "Will you tell the captain to raise the ship up a bit?"

He gave a nod and disappeared from view. Moments later, Suki felt a gentle change as the ocean began to get further away. Zuko reappeared at the open window again. "You look worried. What's wrong?"

"I just want to be sure that we're high enough if the Unagi was to attack," she explained, drawing a few curious glances from the warriors behind her. "Something large is following that school of Elephant Koi, I'm sure of it." Zuko's eyebrows shot up at the warning. He doubted an airship would last long against an Unagi.

"Suki, I can't even see Kyoshi Island from where we are," Ami said as she walked back away the end of the platform.

"The Unagi has always lived close to our waters," Maiko added.

"Exactly, there's no way she would venture this far—" A roar cut through Ami's words which made everyone freeze. The Kyoshi Warriors broke out of the induced paralysis almost as quickly as it had set in and stared down at the Elephant Koi which had begun to swim in a panic. The large silhouette was now directly underneath them. Two of the fish disappeared from sight in quick succession.

"Get this ship higher, now!" Zuko shouted at the captain, who pushed a lever to the maximum, telling the men in the furnace room to shovel coal as fast as they could. The airship began to rapidly rise, but slowed for a moment as another, even louder roar caused the workers to stop and look around nervously, wondering just what was happening outside of the hull.

"Do you think she would even bother with us when there is so much food in front of her already?" Ty Lee asked.

No one got a chance to answer as a slender charcoal-grey form broke the surface of water directly in the path of the airship. Her silvery head glistened in the sunlight as its slick body seemed to stretched on and on with no hint of ever ending, and for a moment, Zuko and the Kyoshi Warriors wondered if she would just continue up until she was face-to-face with them. Thankfully, the eel reached the apex a few dozen meters under the height of the platform. She held still in front of the airship, which—having focused entirely on climbing—had slowed to a crawl. The Unagi's mouth opened slightly, allowing her terrified audience a clear view of the razor teeth aligning the inside.

"Why is she just sitting there?" Ty Lee murmured, and her eyes widened as the large dorsal fin at the top of the Unagi's head began to expand, the tallest tip of the fin reaching just past the acrobat's eye level. Many of the segments of the fin were pierced and torn at the top. The Unagi's body began to move in a wave-like motion, the waves getting slightly larger with each one. It turned its body, showing the silvery stripe that extended from its head down the length of its back. The black finlets that followed along the stripe made the Unagi's back look like a large serrated blade.

"I'm pretty sure she's trying to intimidate us," Suki whispered. Even after fifteen years on Kyoshi Island, and many run-ins with the Unagi, she had never seen such a display.

"You all lived with this thing, one of you tell her we're very intimidated!" Ty Lee said. The barbels began to snap, almost like whips, towards them.

Suki's eyes narrowed as the Unagi became very still and the yellow stripes on either side of the rear of her head began to flex slightly. Her breath caught in her throat. "Everyone, get back! Off the platform, right now!" She had already turned around and her eyes widened when she saw Zuko, already in midair after jumping from the captain's room. She immediately readied herself to catch him, but he landed on the platform and rolled into his fall. Suki's command had finally registered in the minds of her warriors, snapping them out of the hypnotic effect that the Unagi's display had induced on them. As they turned to run, the Unagi reared back her head and opened her mouth.

"Move!" the Fire Lord yelled as he began to sprint the moment he found his footing. Suki and the others threw themselves to one side as the Unagi let out a deep screech and fired a powerful jet of water at the platform. Suki saw Zuko's nose flare, heard the deep breath he took as he ran past her, and could have sworn the air got more difficult to breathe for a moment. A fireball contained in his hands was already bristling with energy. He took a strong, front-weighted stance once he reached the end of the walkway, and with one last breath, splayed his hands forward. Despite being closer to the door and away from Zuko, Suki had to turn her face from the blast of heat that came from the bright yellow stream of fire that burst from the Fire Lord's palms.

Zuko's flame met the Unagi's jet of water much closer than he would have liked and steeled himself as he poured more of his energy into the fight. The Unagi's yellow stripes flexed out wide, almost doubling the width of the creature's neck. Zuko's eyes widened when a few drops of water gently tapped against his scar. He forced himself to allow his jaw to relax, and instead of gritting his teeth, breathed out slowly, causing the flame to burn even more intensely. For a moment, Zuko wasn't sure if he could keep it up for much longer, until the screeching of the Unagi came to a halt. A cloud of rapidly cooling steam blew past Zuko and began to engulf the lower portion of the airship. The Kyoshi Warriors used their deployable shield to protect their face while the rest of their bodies were protected by their kimonos, but the cloud of steam still left them completely soaked.

"Ahh, that's lovely," Ty Lee said as the cloud enveloped her, bringing back memories of the hot springs in Ember Island.

As the steam dissipated, Zuko saw that the Unagi had moved further away from them, out of the airship's path. Only her head stayed above water, and her double pair of eyelids, a pink pair vertical and the light grey pair horizontal, blinked slowly as the airship sailed past. Zuko felt as though those bright green eyes were focused entirely on him. The Unagi held his gaze for another few moments before slinking back down beneath the ocean's waves.

Zuko let out a deep sigh of relief, closed his eyes as he wiped the beads of sweat that had formed on his forehead, and put out his hands to lean on the railing. His eyes snapped open when he never felt the metal railing, or anything else at all to hold him. He wildly wind-milled his arms, but it was too late. His body began to tilt further over the edge. As he stared down at the ocean, the image of the Unagi waiting just underneath the surface flashed before his eyes.

His clothing suddenly became tight around his chest, and he was no longer falling forward. He looked over his shoulder and found the captain of the Kyoshi Warriors smirking at him, one hand with a tight grip on the back of his clothes while the other was wrapped around the railing on the side of the walkway.

"You look like you could use some help," she said. Zuko looked down at the wavy blue floor and then back at his guardian and gave a nod, using his best puppy dog eyes. Suki laughed at him and shook her head before pulling him back to a more stable position. He squatted down, taking deep breaths, and rubbed his face with his hands.

The Fire Lord sat down, leaving his legs hanging over the edge, and let out another sigh while Suki sat down next to him. He inspected the molten metal that was now slowly flowing down the side of the walkway and dripping into the sea. "That was too close," he mumbled, before clearing his throat and glancing at Suki. "Thanks for saving me."

"Well," Suki said, grinning at him, "that is what you pay me to do."

"You're clearly worth the expenses." The two shared a laugh and fell into a comfortable silence.

While the other Kyoshi Warriors were chatting amongst themselves, Ty Lee, pretending to listen, was instead focused on the pair at the other end of the platform. She kept a close watch on their hands, which were so close they were all but touching.

"I suppose I should say thanks for saving all our butts from the Unagi," Suki told him, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "That was pretty impressive. Although I think the embarrassment of falling off would have undone that."

"It wouldn't have been a noble death. At least I wouldn't have had to deal with the embarrassment for long." Zuko smiled when she tried to stifle her laugh with her hand. "No problem, though." His eyes narrowed on something in the distance and gave a nod to get Suki's attention. "Kyoshi Island?"

Suki's eyes lit up at the sight and leaned forward to get just that bit closer to the island she called home. Her fingers rapidly twitched and tapped against the metal walkway before gripping the edge. Zuko grinned. He was half-expecting her to dive from the platform and swim the rest of the way—and he was fairly confident she could, in that moment, do it.

She gazed at the crescent-shaped island and the many mountains she had lived amongst for most of her life, then suddenly, the icy feeling that had been building since they left Ba Sing Se broke the surface. Her heart quickened, the beating thumping hard against her chest. Her breath quickened for a moment, until she brought it back under control.

Suki slowly lowered herself back down and brought her hands together, rested them in her lap, and lightly squeezed one with the other. She looked away from her homeland and glanced westwards before biting her bottom lip. After almost a minute, She turned to her companion, mouth parted to speak. His head was slightly tilted, golden eyes trained on hers. Her mouth closed and eyes held on his for a moment before gazing back to the island ahead.

"Yeah," she finally said. "I'd know it anywhere. It'll be good to be back."

He took a moment to respond before nodding slowly to what she had said. "I suppose first thing I'll have to do is apologise for burning down the village that one time."

"Trying to burn it down," Suki corrected, getting a chuckle out of him. "Don't worry. Oyaji was never someone to hold grudges, especially after you sent a ship full of supplies to help with repairs and expansion. And most of the Kyoshi Warriors who were fighting you that day are now your personal guards."

"Well, at least I won't be too unwelcomed." Suki rolled her eyes. The comfortable silence settled again. Suki focused on the beautiful view they had, trying her best to push other thoughts out of her mind. She leaned back, and put her arms behind her to support her, similar to the position Zuko had taken.

Ty Lee, along with a few other Kyoshi Warriors, widened their eyes slightly before they all began to grin at each other. Zuko simply kept looking at the Island of Kyoshi, hoping Suki would realise it herself. It wasn't until Ami whistled loudly that made Suki look over her shoulder at her Kyoshi Warriors, who all had grins across their faces. She frowned for a moment before realising her hand was resting atop the Fire Lord's, which she quickly pulled away from. This prompted many of the girls to giggle, although Ty Lee simply watched, a disappointed look on her face.

Suki cleared her throat, hoping her Kyoshi mask hid her blush. "I should probably...get them to get their stuff together. We'll be landing soon." She stood.

"Yeah..." Zuko said. "Honestly, I should probably get away from this ledge anyway."

"As your personal guard, you should definitely get away from the ledge."

Zuko gave a small laugh as he stood up and followed Suki back to the door of the airship, where the Kyoshi Warriors were standing. They were doing their best to not look at the pair as they neared. Ty Lee, however, gave her captain a smile when she reached them. Zuko gave the girls a nod as he stepped past them. He heard Suki using her commander voice as the door closed behind him.

"Line up! Which one of you whistled?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of fun and action thrown in to start us off! I hope you liked the opening chapter. 
> 
> Huge thanks to Serenity for being my Beta on this chapter and the past couple stories. You've been amazingly helpful and have improved this tale and my ability immensely.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the beginning of this new story, and as always would love to hear your opinion on it so far, or any little comments you may have. Consider following if you'd like to keep up with the story. Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

The deep ocean blue beneath the airship turned to a clear, lighter blue, and finally to shore as they slowly sailed above Kyoshi Island. As the airship neared, it rose higher to clear the mountains which surrounded the large natural harbour. The tips of the tallest mountains were already topped with snow, signs of the winter fast approaching. Many of the trees in the lower forest area of the island had lost their leaves, but there were still large swaths of bright autumn colour throughout the island. Some Kyoshi Warriors stood on the platform at the front of the airship, waving and calling out to the villages dotted around the island. Many of the inhabitants had stopped and peered up as the airship, with the Fire Nation insignia clearly seen on its sides, sailed overhead. Some waved back at the Kyoshi Warriors, their green kimonos making them stand out against the dark red underbelly of the ship. Others eyed it nervously, or shared wary looks with their neighbours.

Inside the airship, Suki and Ty Lee did another quick once over of their room, making sure they hadn't forgotten anything. Suki had worried she would have to rush between the others' rooms, but nearly all of them had begun packing the moment their home was in view. The two friends looked over the other's uniform, each giving an approving nod. Suki slid her katana into its scabbard, strapped it to her hip, and slipped her fans into the sash tied around her stomach. Lastly, she picked up the golden headpiece Zuko had given her and inspected it. She traced her finger along the insignia at the front. It was something she found herself doing regularly since they departed Ba Sing Se. It had a strange effect, simultaneously calming her and making her heartbeat quicken. It also made her feel guilty. Suddenly, she felt as if she was being watched. She turned her head and the tip of her nose brushed against the nosey girl's cheek, who stood leaning over her captain's shoulder.

"Remember our talk about personal space, Ty Lee?" Suki said. She rolled her eyes at the innocent smile she was given.

Ty Lee took a step to the side, leaning to still look at the headpiece. "I just think it's cute how much you're cherishing Zuko's little gift." She sat up on the small table in the room and grinned. "I'm pretty jealous."

Suki felt a slight blush begin to spread across her face. "Be quiet," she said, turning away quickly and placing the headpiece in her small bag. "You get gifts from guys all the time anyway, I don't see how you're jealous."

"True..." Ty Lee said, pursing her lips. "Most of those aren't sincere though, it's easy to tell. They aren't special, and... certainly not as meaningful as yours."

Suki glanced back over her shoulder, narrowing her eyes. "Meaningful?" she repeated, but the beautiful girl simply shrugged, hopped off the table, and flashed a smile. Suki shook her head, but couldn't help smiling herself. It was hard to be annoyed with Ty Lee, despite all the teasing.

"I can't wait to be able to get out of this armour and spend some time at the beach," Ty Lee said, putting her arms above her head and stretching upwards.

"I'm sure some of the boys in the village will be more than happy to block the sun for you too," Slinging her bag over her shoulder, she pointed at Ty Lee. "Although, don't think you're getting out of any training. If anything, I expect you to be training even harder while we're here."

The slight thud of the airship cut off Ty Lee's response, who, after steadying herself, instead put her hand on the door. "Shall we?" Suki gave a quick nod and followed Ty Lee out of the room. The pair quickly dodged to the side as a stream of Kyoshi Warriors rushed passed them, wide grins on their faces.

"Sorry, Suki!" Kasumi said when she skipped past, giving her captain a quick apologetic look that vanished as she raced the others. A few moments later, Maiko strolled after the group, a satisfied smirk on her face. She nodded at the pair and looked back along the hallway.

"Would you hurry up?" Maiko said to the overburdened Ami, trudging after her, who simply grunted in response. Two bags were slung over her shoulders, one of which seemed purposely stuffed with as much weight as it could carry. Her and Maiko's katanas were strapped to either side of her waist, and at least one of them banged into something with each step. "By Kyoshi, these new ostrich horses sure are quite clumsy," Maiko commented to her comrades. Ami stopped in her tracks. Her mouth opened to retort before slowly closing and simply shooting the smug girl a glare that would make Ozai falter in his step. She sighed and resumed walking. "Maybe next time you won't try such a cheap—" Maiko yelped as one of the katana scabbards on Ami's side smacked her in the back of the thigh.

Ty Lee finally broke while Suki placed her head in her hand and shook it as the pair continued down the hall, hurling insults back and forth. The Kyoshi leader took hold of the giggling girl's sleeve and dragged her after the others.

Zuko, dressed in more kingly attire than he had been for the past couple days, stood at the top of the stairs leading to the exit, allowing the Kyoshi Warriors to pass by him. He smiled as he spotted Suki and Ty Lee, the final two of the pack. Ty Lee slowed for a step, and Suki reached him first. "Are you feeling alright?"

For a moment, her eyes glanced to the side, but she took a deep breath, and the anxiousness seemed to lessen. She stood a bit straighter and met his eyes. "I'm okay." She shrugged and gave him a slight smile. "And even if I wasn't, there isn't much I could do about it anyway." Zuko chuckled and lightly squeezed her shoulder.

"You'll be fine. If—" A call from upstairs, the captain of the ship, stopped him from continuing. "Give me a moment." Zuko walked upstairs and Ty Lee poked Suki in the side, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"I can head down now if you'd like. Maybe you can have a little talk with Zuko...alone?"

Suki's eyes widened before she gave a curt and firm, "No."

Ty Lee nonchalantly shrugged but pressed her lips tightly together once Suki turned away. _Would that girl ever take a hint!_ She crossed her arms and let out a quiet sigh; she'd have to have a chat with her soon. She knew she had been subtly avoiding him, and she bet it wasn't because she wanted to, but to prevent any rumours from starting up again. She only knew of the headpiece due to catching her off guard that night.

Zuko returned, straightening his robe. "I suppose I should step out," he said, and took hold of the railing and grinned up at them. "If I take any longer they might think I'm being rude."

The rest of the Kyoshi Warriors stood on the small dock in the large harbour that had recently been built. Some bounced on their tippy toes while others glanced from the door of the airship to where the dock met land, with a welcoming party waited for them. Some were already waving to their old friends. Their eyes lit up once they saw Zuko appear. He stood for a moment. He looked at the welcoming party and back at his royal guard. He grinned and with a flick of his head told them to go. They broke into a sprint, and met their fellow warriors in an embrace near the beginning of the pier.

Zuko reached the bottom of the steps and turned around, offering his hand to Ty Lee. She took it, gave him a grin, and looked back at Suki. She winked, outside of Zuko's view, and got a glare in response, making her grin only grow wider.

Zuko, bemused, watched Ty Lee skip quickly away once she let go of his hand but turned and offered the same to Suki.

Suki's features softened once he took her hand and their eyes met. How sincere he looked...He was always considerate, kind-hearted and courteous. It was something she always took note of; the small things he did, not because he tried to project a certain image, only done when acting as Fire Lord, but because that was who he was. She'd seen enough men do similar things with her, and especially Ty Lee. It was easy to see those with ulterior motives; Zuko wasn't one of those. Her foot touched the pier and they kept their hands together for a few more moments, holding each other's gaze and both softly smiling. Suki's eyes suddenly widened and broke eye contact. Her face fell neutral as she turned to head towards the island.

She scanned the people in front of her, and felt as if every pair of eyes were on her. All of the girls in Zuko's guard were looking at them, big grins on their faces. All except Ty Lee, who bit her lip and glanced around nervously. Suki spotted Oyaji, among some of the other village elders. He had his eyebrow raised at her, and the other elders murmured amongst themselves. Her expression, however, remained calm. Her eyes flicked to the other Kyoshi Warriors, about forty-five in total, all from different villages. They had similar looks to the girls of Zuko's guard; intrigued, smirks and a few mouths slightly agape. They quickly returned to the side of the elders after an order was barked out. Suki's stomach turned cold when she saw who made the order. A tall figure stood in the centre of the group, glaring at her; a much different glare to the one she gave Ty Lee. There was venom in her brilliant emerald eyes. A couple of other Kyoshi Warriors had less than welcoming looks, but none to the level of the central girl. She tore her gaze away from the imposing middle figure and quickened her pace to catch up to her group.

Zuko watched her pace away. He turned, facing the sea and let out a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. He stood up straighter, turned back, and walked towards the elders. The royal guard split in half and formed a path for him. They stood tall, with their arms behind their backs. Suki and Ty Lee faced each other at the beginning of the line, and fell in behind Zuko as he walked past them, flanking him.

"She looks more like a little loyal dog than a Kyoshi Warrior," the emerald-eyed girl muttered, getting some slight nods of agreement in the group.

The Fire Lord and the elders exchanged bows; Zuko holding his for a moment longer. "It's an honour to finally meet all of you."

"The honour is ours, Fire Lord Zuko," Oyaji said. "Last time, we weren't able to make your acquaintance."

Zuko let out an embarrassed chuckle. "True...At least we're able to meet on more friendly terms these days. I would like to apologise—"

"You've already done so," Oyaji told him, waving away his words. "The support you've shown us since you were crowned is more than enough." He glanced around at the other elders and coughed into his hand. "As tired as I imagine you are from your long trip, unfortunately it's likely for the next day or two you will be attending some meetings with myself and others. After our official business is concluded," Oyaji told him, gesturing with a wide sweep of his hand, "you'll be free to enjoy the hospitality of Kyoshi Island, Fire Lord."

Zuko nodded. "Of course, I'm sure such discussions will go very smoothly." He had expected as much. No matter where he went, there was always business to attend to. His advisors certainly wouldn't have approved such a trip otherwise. "I do have some...items for discussion that I would like to propose that I believe would help strengthen relations between the Fire Nation and Kyoshi Island."

"We would be very interested in hearing them, and we have some ideas ourselves." He stood to the side and gestured to one of the elders, a woman even older than himself. "Now..."

After the introductions were finished, they once more bowed, and the elders, excluding Oyaji, turned and began to walk back to their villages. Their band of Kyoshi Warriors went to follow, but a few waves of hands to their respective warriors signaled they could stay.

As the elders left, Oyaji breathed out, let his shoulders drop, and smiled. "I apologise for the formality, Fire Lord."

Zuko's eyes widened before bowing his head. "Simply Zuko is fine."

"Very well. I'd be happy to, Zuko," Oyaji said. He looked at Suki and Ty Lee, grinned, and put his arms out wide. Suki rushed over, Ty Lee following close behind, and embraced him. The other Kyoshi Warriors broke ranks, hugging old friends or joining in the group hug with Suki and Ty Lee. Oyaji looked around, a fatherly smile on his face. "Welcome home."

The tall Kyoshi Warrior eyed Suki and Oyaji for a moment, narrowed her eyes and shook her head before finally joining the mass of green kimonos.

"It's great to be back," Ty Lee said. She stood back and looked Oyaji up and down, taking note of the golden Kyoshi insignia over the heart, as well as the golden material along the edges of his robe. "Since when did you start wearing such fancy clothing?"

The old man beamed. "I've been chosen as governor of Kyoshi Island."

"I thought the elders did away with the governor status during the Hundred Year War?" Suki said, tilting her head.

"They did. However, after some discussion a few months ago, we've decided that it was time to re-establish proper connections with the wider world. As such, I was chosen to represent us." He motioned towards the small dock, which had building materials near to it. "We're hoping to regain many of the old trade routes, such as the Southern Water Tribes. "

Zuko stood to the outside, carefully listening. The island would certainly be a good stopping point between the Fire Nation and the Southern Water Tribe. Perhaps he could offer supplies and some assistance in getting Kyoshi Island more built up.

"We should be careful we don't open our island too much," the emerald-eyed girl said, stepping past Zuko, who she stood equal in height to, and placed a hand on her hip. "We should be concerned if too many people were to begin living here." Suki could feel the girl's cold gaze hold on her for a few moments before passing to Oyaji.

"That is true, Hitomi." Oyaji said, pulling lightly on his large beard. "Our island is small and her people are...not few...but certainly not many either."

"Exactly, we have a duty to our home; to preserve the traditions Kyoshi has passed down to us," Hitomi said, an edge to her voice. "That also means we must make our own sacrifices. As much as some of us may have wanderlust, or other reasons to leave our home, we must remember where our allegiance lies."

The Kyoshi Warriors of the Fire Lord's guard each shared an uneasy look with each other, while Suki gripped her wrist behind her back, squeezed, and glanced to the ground. Zuko maintained a neutral expression, one he quickly learned to hone when dealing with his generals and advisors back home. Oyaji raised his chin, a curious and concerned expression across his face and his gaze darted back and forth between Hitomi and Suki. He cleared his throat and clapped his hands together, drawing the attention back to himself. "Fire Lo— Zuko," he corrected himself and motioned towards the Sun, which had begun to dip towards the horizon. "There is still some daylight left. If you wish, we could have a short discussion to get some of the business out of the way quickly."

Zuko kept his eyes on the back of Hitomi for a moment before turning to Oyaji. "Well...the quicker I get to enjoy the island the better, I suppose. Lead the way." Oyaji nodded and took the lead as he headed towards his village. While he and Zuko chatted, the Kyoshi Warriors followed behind, but unlike the usual disciplined paired marching of the Kyoshi Warriors, they strolled together in large groups, happily chatting amongst each other. Different groups split off as they strolled, heading down separate paths towards their own villages. As Suki spoke to old friends she hadn't seen for a few years, she kept a smile, but wrapped an arm around and hugged herself. She could feel the stares of some of the women, especially Hitomi, as they walked. Once Hitomi and the group with her, including Ami and Maiko, turned down their respective path, Ty Lee stepped beside her captain.

"Suki," she said softly. Suki turned away from Kasumi and another Kyoshi Warrior to face Ty Lee, raising her eyebrows. Ty Lee opened her mouth but stayed silent for a few moments. She glanced away and back before flashing her winning smile. "It's good to be back, isn't it?"

Suki's gaze turned to the ground and let out a slow breath. She nodded and stared at Zuko and Oyaji a couple of meters ahead of them. "At the least, it's good to see that Oyaji isn't still annoyed with us for leaving. He was really happy to see all of us."

"I knew he would be. He was probably just worried about all of us. And besides, even if he had really been angry, he doesn't hold grudges." The path they were on began a slow incline.

Suki turned back to the grinning girl, and a real smile came to her face. "That's true. Honestly, I was worried that the elders and Oyaji would only be as...civil as they would have to be with him." Ahead of them, Zuko seemed enthralled in a tale the older leader was telling about Kyoshi and the creation of their home. "Yet, Oyaji welcomed him like any other traveller."

"I'm not surprised. Oyaji helped me a lot to fit in when I first got here." Ty Lee smirked and nudged Suki in the side. "He allowed me get away with so much for the first few weeks. Such a sweet old man."

"He's certainly changed since the war ended."

Ty Lee furrowed her brow and gave Suki a look. "What do you mean?"

"Agni, help me." Suki stifled a giggle with her hand. "He was always sweet, but...well, that sweet old man, along with the rest of us during the war, thought it was best to feed trespassers to the Unagi." Ty Lee froze and missed a step, while some of the Kyoshi Warriors who had stayed on the island glanced at Suki and shared a look.

Ty Lee came up next to Suki again. After having a run-in with that creature...she shuddered at the thought of being its meal. _Well_ , she thought, _I'd be no more than a snack to the Unagi._ "I was never told that before..."

"We couldn't risk any Fire Nation spies on the island. We shut ourselves off completely." She grinned and scratched the back of her neck. "I may have threatened Aang, Katara and Sokka with turning them into fish food when they first arrived."

Ty Lee looked around at the group of warriors she had come to know as her sisters, ever so slightly perturbed. "You know, if you had led with that when I first got here, I probably would have been much better behaved."

"I'm sure you would have." Suki told her with a laugh. They continued in silence for a few minutes, just enjoying the walk. The dense forest of varying autumn colours made way for sparse groupings of evergreen trees and the path changed from dirt and leaves to a thin layer of snow. Ty Lee bit her lip, let out a sigh and leaned in to her captain. "Suki," she said softly once more, "I have to ask, what's up with Hito..." She let the sentence trail off as Suki stared right past her, seemingly oblivious to the question. Her eyes were bright, a big grin across her face, and her hands balled up and held against her chest. There was a slight hop and urgency in her step. Nestled in a valley where the bases of three mountains met, on a slight slope, sat their village. The statue of Kyoshi, facing away from them and towards the village was a welcome sight. Suki shared a look with the few warriors of Zuko's guard who were left, and each broke into a sprint towards the village.

"Sorry, Zuko! Sorry Oyaji!" one of them shouted back as they rushed passed the pair. Ty Lee let out a short and quiet laugh, and jogged after them. She would have to talk to her about how strange Hitomi was acting but for now, maybe it was best to leave her to enjoy herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! Finally, we arrived in Kyoshi Island to an...interesting welcome. I wonder how it will play out? First, I just want to say an absolutely huge thank you for such a great welcome back. All of the (FFN) follows/Favs and reviews, (and kudos!) really help me keep writing. ^^
> 
> Chapter 3 is looking to almost be finished, and then I'll send it out to a beta. Chapter 4 I think will take some more time, as I'm still trying to work out the plan for that one. 
> 
> Apologies for the long wait, I had some difficulty finding a beta for a good couple of days. 
> 
> A big thanks to Ness Frost for being my beta for this chapter.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and as always would love to hear your opinion on it so far, or any little comments you may have. Consider following if you'd like to keep up with the story. Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

Suki's eyes blinked open, and the sound of a sliding door closing shut pulled her out of a strange dream that quickly faded from memory. Two pairs of footsteps slowly got further and further away from the house: her parents. They were leaving for the day's work; her father was fishing out on the sea, and her mother, an ex-Kyoshi Warrior herself, was a baker. Staring up at the thatched-roof ceiling, she grinned. They were ecstatic when she nearly pulled the door off its rail. For a couple of hours, she wasn't the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors, the captain of Zuko's personal guard or anything else but an eighteen year old girl spending time with her family.

She sat up, stretched, let out a big yawn, and parted the curtains above her bed. She just caught sight of her parents as they turned down different paths, giving a small wave to each other as they parted. Normally, she would be up before them, in the early hours of the morning, but one of the girls called and told them they were to a rest after their travels. She certainly wasn't going to complain. She put her arms on the windowsill, and rested her head on them, staring out at her village. It had changed somewhat since she was away. There were a few new buildings, most of which circled the statue of Kyoshi. From what she could see, some of them were stone, rather than the regular wood and thatch they used. Kyoshi shone brightly a few meters above the buildings. It always comforted her. Kyoshi herself watched over the village at all times. It was the oldest statue of her on the island, and her village contained the main collection of Kyoshi's instruments. It was, in her humble and unbiased opinion, the best village.

With a deep satisfied sigh, Suki laid back down and closed her eyes. A flash of her dream came back to her mind that disturbed her. The statue of Kyoshi was gone, and in its place sat a simple stone building with some sort Earth Kingdom symbol; possibly a family crest she may have glanced at during her travels. It had no connection to the island. There were more buildings around the centre one, and yet none acknowledged Kyoshi. It was still a village, but it didn't feel like her village, as if she were the stranger there.

The image was gone as soon as it had appeared. She ignored it. Such a thing would never happen. _There will always be Kyoshi Warriors, and Kyoshi Island will always be their home._ She let out a slow breath. She could feel sleep begin to take her again. She'd forgotten how comfortable her bed was. She could sleep for an entire day under these covers.

_Did Kyoshi huddle under blankets and stay warm? Were the Kyoshi Warriors created to do the same?_

Suki groaned, but heaved herself out of bed. So many lessons and sayings had been hammered into her mind as a child during her training. That specific one was always the most helpful, but also the most annoying. Once she was dressed and her war-mask applied, she walked downstairs and, after eating the breakfast that was left for her, headed out. As she strolled up the slope the people in the village waved and called out to her. A range of "Welcome back, Suki!" had her smiling wider with each step. None of them stopped her to talk, understanding she had morning training to attend.

Nearing the beginning of the small path that led to the village's dojo she spotted the small, old two-story house tucked in the corner of the village. It sat just beside the path. Suki glanced around, made sure no one was watching, and darted towards the house. A grin sprang to her face once she reached the door. She gingerly slid the door open and poked her head inside. The ground floor was open, except for a long counter that separated the kitchen from the living room, and a set of stairs at the very back of the house. It was dark in the house, and a few specks of dust were visible from light now coming into the room from the open door. The last few embers of the fire the previous night remained in the fireplace. Suki leaned further in.

"Aunt Eiko?" she called out. She tried again, a bit louder. "Aunt Eiko, it's Suki!" A few seconds passed and she was about to leave when she heard footsteps right above her. They headed towards the stairs and eventually made the descent. The woman froze halfway down. She blinked a couple times, adjusting to the light before smiling widely. "Suki?" Her hands went to fix the slightly messy long brown as she hurried down the rest of the stairs. "I had heard all of you were meant to be visiting. Come in!" Suki did as told, opening the door fully to leave in the light. The woman quickly moved towards Suki and embraced her strongly.

"It's so good to see you again, Ume." Suki returned the hug, tightly squeezing back . Ume certainly hadn't lost any strength since she was away; very few ex-Kyoshi Warriors would. They broke, and Suki looked her up and down. She seemed more weathered since the last time she saw her; there were long streaks of silver down the length of her hair and her face was lined. Middle age had began to catch up to her.

"So, tell me, how many times did you or one of the other girls have to save that Fire Lord's life?" Ume said, leaning on the counter.

Suki grinned, then pursed her lips and looked to the side. "Hmm, I wasn't exactly keeping count, but let's just say he's definitely indebted to me—us at this point." Suki cleared her throat. "And...his name's Zuko, by the way."

"Good to know," Ume said, lifting herself to sit on the counter. "Sounds like you've been giving the Kyoshi Warriors a good name."

Suki cocked an eyebrow and smirked. "Of course I have been! You surely didn't doubt me, did you?"

"Well...the last time you went off with a group of warriors, you all got captured." Ume winked when Suki's eyes widened and her mouth opened in disbelief.

"Touché." Suki said, rolling her eyes and grinning before glancing upstairs. "Is Aunt Eiko home?"

Ume seemed stunned by the question. She stared at Suki, at first her eyes slowly blinking, which became rapid as she stammered out her words. "I...Didn't you hear..." She stopped, inhaled and released a slow breath. She pushed herself off the counter and stood. One hand was clenched into a fist, and the other was tightly wrapped around it. "Did you not receive my letter? I sent it...probably three months ago?"

Suki shook her head ever so slightly and clenched her fist to stop a slight shake in her hand. There was a drop in her stomach "I don't think so. I mean, I get a lot of letters, so it's likely it was in there somewhere, but..." She trailed off and stared at the floor. She closed her eyes and her body tensed as she braced herself.

Ume nodded, sighed, and there was a noticeable sadness in her eyes. Her voice was uneven as she spoke. "My mother passed away...not ten weeks ago. I had hoped my letter would reach you in time but..." Suki brought her hand to her mouth, and her eyes welled up. She blinked away the tears and met Ume's gaze. "She caught a cold," Ume explained, seemingly reading the question on her face. "Something you or I could shrug off with ease, but she was old."

Suki brought the hand covering her mouth to her eyes, which had spilled over and began wetting her cheeks, and wiped her eyes. Having composed herself, she shifted forward towards Ume, who embraced her again. However this time the hug was gentle and comforting. Ume guided Suki's head onto her shoulder. Just barely, she heard a muffled "I'm so sorry." She didn't respond, simply content with patting the younger girl's back.

After a few moments, Suki stepped back and wiped her eyes one last time. "I'll...I'll let the other girls know." Ume gave her an apologetic smile.

A moment of silence passed. Suki looked away and down towards the ground. "Did...did she mention any of us?" She scratched the back of her neck.

A quiet chuckle escaped Ume's lips. "When I told her I sent the letter, she may have told me off."

Suki looked back up, a tilt to her head and a bemused expression across her face. Ume smiled softly, and wiped a small tear from the corner of her eye. "She told me to stop bothering you. That you were off saving the world and helping to keep the peace between the nations."

Suki's eyebrows shot up and she smiled sadly. Gently squeezing her fingers together on one hand with the other, she let out a sigh. "Thank you for telling me that. I'm sorry for your loss, Ume." She half-turned, glancing at the door. "I should—"

Ume raised a finger, halting Suki, and kept it raised as she went around the counter into the kitchen. There was a gleam in her eye as she searched through a cupboard and pulled out two small glasses. She reached under the counter and retrieved a bottle half-filled with a dark brown liquid. "Here," she said, pouring out two drinks. "A toast." Another sad smile came to Suki's face. She had shared a drink with both Ume and Eiko before leaving for the Fire Nation, which felt so long ago. She picked up the glass, and Eiko already had hers held towards her.

_**Clink** _

Immediately, once the drink passed her lips, there was a strong burning sensation on her tongue which only got worse as she forced it the rest of the way down. She held a clenched fist against her mouth while she coughed and gagged for a couple of seconds. There were tears in her eyes and as the stinging subsided, the lower part of her face and her throat were numb. Suki spotted, through watery and blurred vision, Ume, her face scrunched up. Her face slowly relaxed. She moved her jaw around, grinning from the numbness.

"What...in Agni...is that?" Suki said breathlessly, and with a slight slur. Ume cast a curious eye over her before giving a shrug.

"I'm not entirely sure. I think it's some Southern Water Tribe concoction." She chuckled when Suki gently touched and pressed the tips of her fingers in her jaw. Ume picked up the bottle, gazed at it for, almost getting lost in thought, and placed it back in the cupboard.

Suki spent a few moments trying to say something without slurring but her tongue felt too heavy. Ume cracked up watching Suki became more frustrated. "Where did you even find that?" she finally managed to get out.

"I found it hidden underneath Eiko's bed, under the floor!"

The slack-jawed girl was speechless, which was probably a good thing, and a moment later her head was in her hand, giggling. She stopped and moved her jaw side to side. She raised an eyebrow and gave Ume a look. "I hope I'm not going to be like this for training."

Ume waved off her worry. "It wears off after a few minutes, unless you would like another?"

"No!" Ume cracked up again. Suki crossed her arms but couldn't help smirking. "I should get going, the girls will be wondering where I am." Ume, still giggling, nodded. Suki turned to walk out.

"Oh, Suki?" She looked back over her shoulder. Ume had a knowing look on her face. "You should pay a visit to her. You have...it's important."

Her eyes widen before nodding quickly. "Sure, I'll make sure to head there later today!"

"In your own time!" Ume called after the Kyoshi Warrior as she jogged up the path leading to the dojo, where her sisters were waiting. Thankfully, the numbness had worn off once she reached the end of the path.

Even though she was simply going through the motions with this training session, her mind elsewhere, it still felt great to be back in the training hall. For the past few hours, she had drilled the girls in wrestling, both standing and ground-work, katana and shield, and most importantly, their favoured fans. Suki allowed Ty Lee to take control for a while to give them a refresher on the various chi-blocking points in the body.

After the session finished Ty Lee and another girl prepared their meals. Each Kyoshi Warrior sat in a circle around a large pot of chankonabe. Some of them were leaning forwards eagerly, others' fingers twitched. They eyed the pot ravenously.

Suki coughed, drawing their attention. She sat up straight and her gaze met everyone. With a sigh, she began to explain to the girls who had been in the Fire Nation about Eiko. Those who had stayed lowered their heads, and the others followed suit as she spoke. Ty Lee placed a hand on the shoulder of Kasumi, who gently padded her tears away with a sleeve. A sombre silence fell among the circle.

A minute passed, and Suki raised her head. "I doubt Aunt Eiko would want us to waste such good food." There was a slight laugh among the group, and with that, they tucked into their food and chatting resumed. Much of the conversations based around stories of Eiko. Ty Lee enjoyed listening to the tales of a woman she had grown fond of in a short period of time.

For Suki, the rest of her day was filled with her regular duties on the island, almost as if she never left. The Kyoshi Warriors of the village split into groups of two; Suki paired up with Kasumi. They patrolled through the village and along the southern coast of the island. People called out to them, and they even received a few hugs once people recognised them.

"Just let your hair down," Suki muttered, agitated at Kasumi's continuous messing and adjusting of a band that didn't do its job of keeping her hair in a ponytail very well.

"You're not going to try to cut it, right?" Kasumi said. She held her hair to the opposite side that Suki was walking on, and watched Suki's hand, resting on the hilt of her katana, very carefully. Her captain raised an eyebrow, lifting the blade out of its sheath a couple inches. Suki rolled her eyes, smirked, and let the sword slide back into place. "Try to sleep with an eye open."

Despite the warning, Kasumi had a bounce in her step for the rest of their walk. Other than dealing with a small dispute between a man and a woman over a fishing spot, most of the day was uneventful. However, Suki still enjoyed herself. Kasumi had a similar bubbly personality to that of Ty Lee, even if she was more of an airhead, and it helped keep her thoughts from wandering much.

After another few hours, once each pair had finished their patrols, they met back at the dojo. Suki led them in a slow pattern of movements with her fans. At the end, she thanked each her sisters for their service to Kyoshi Island. Some of them began to change in the dojo, getting into more comfortable clothing, and cleaning off their war-masks. Suki, however, remained in her uniform. Most of the group headed down the path back to the village, chatting about their plans for the day. Suki stayed behind for a bit, tidying up the hall.

"Are you going to spend the night locked up in here?" came a voice from behind her. Ty Lee, already dressed for the beach, her gear slung over a shoulder, stood at the entrance.

"Just making sure everything is in order," she told her, following the girl in the white bikini top and thigh length skirt. They began following after the others down the path. "Busy day?"

Ty Lee shrugged. "It was fine. Didn't have to paralyse anyone, at the least."

"That's...good, I guess."

"Actually, that reminds me," Ty Lee said, shifting the uniform to the other shoulder, "Do I still get to teach the new trainees how to chi-block?" Suki didn't respond immediately, and instead massaged her temples. Ty Lee grinned. "You said I could."

"I know," Suki muttered. The side-eye she gave only made Ty Lee smile even more smugly. "Just...please be careful with them."

"Don't worry. It'll be fun!"

"That's what I'm worried about."

As the two made their way to the village they spotted, standing out among the greens and blues, a red-robed figure at the base of the statue of Kyoshi, looking up at her. Suki felt a slight push from behind, and after catching herself, turned to find Ty Lee walking away from her.

"What was that for?"

Ty Lee kept walking. "I only got a few hours of proper sunlight left. I have to get to the beach quickly." She glanced over her shoulder. "Have fun with Zuko!" A wink, and with surprising speed for someone carrying a piece of heavy armour, she set off in a jog.

The temples were once again massaged, followed by a slow exhale. She just got a glimpse of the fleeing girl before she disappeared. Suki rolled her eyes and slipped off the metal headdress as she walked towards the Fire Lord. _'Have fun with Zuko.'_ She ground her teeth together. She fixed her hair, somewhat messy from the headdress. _Her little inputs are getting on my nerves._

Zuko looked up at Kyoshi. The last time he had seen her much of the wood was blackened and fire had disfigured at least half of her face. He pinched the bridge of his nose and shut his eyes as scenes of his attack on the island came to mind.

"Zuko, hey!" His eyes opened and Suki strolled up to him, her bright smile pushing the thoughts of the attack far from his mind.

"Good afternoon to you, Suki."

"And a good day to you as well, Fire Lord Zuko," Suki told him, doing her best imitation of him and giving an exaggerated bow. "I was going to enquire, if I may, as to how the present day has—"

"Leave me alone," he said but was unable to hide the grin. He lightly pinched the bridge of his nose. "Sorry. Hi." He rubbed his eyes and blinked a few times. "Apologies, I'm a bit burned out from the discussions and still somewhat in diplomacy mode."

"You're grand, don't worry about it." Suki giggled, and nudged him in the side. "Not a bad impression, huh? I picked up a bit of the technique from listening to those advisors of yours babbling away for an hour without ever actually making a point."

"Lucky for you all you mostly have to do is listen; I have to actually talk with them."

"Poor Zuko," Suki said with a shake of her head. "Who knew being Fire Lord would be so difficult." They shared a quiet laugh while some of the people watched them from afar. Suki glanced up at Kyoshi and bit her lip. "Would you mind accompanying me for something?"

"Is everything okay?" Zuko asked as he leaned in a bit closer to her.

"I'm fine," she said with an assuring nod. "I have something important to do...and would like for someone to be with me. I have to head to my house first though."

He raised an eyebrow but gave a bow of his head. "Of course, I'd be happy to."

The pair made the quick walk to Suki's house, just to the left of the elder's house at the top of the slope.

"I'll be just a minute," Suki told him and slid open the door, rushed in and almost ran right into her mother. "Oh, sorry!" Her mother gave her a puzzled look, glanced over her shoulder and cocked an eyebrow. Suki took a step back and her eyes darted between the two. She cleared her throat and motioned towards Zuko. "Mom, this is—"

"Zuko, the Fire Lord," her mother said as she moved to stand underneath the door frame, looking him up and down, lingering on the scarred face. Behind her, Suki silently stepped backwards and up the stairs.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Zuko said, bowing.

"Likewise. I am Miyuki," she said returning his bow. "Suki..." She was nowhere to be seen. Miyuki rolled her eyes, which to Zuko was exactly the way Suki alway rolled hers. It was her mother who Suki took after, not just in looks, but some of her mannerisms as well. The only major difference were the green eyes instead of the blue he was used to. And that influence of Suki's eyes now leaned into view above Miyuki's head. A muscular and lean man stepped out behind his wife. He had the same piercing eyes as Suki, but his were even more so, contrasted against his tanned skin. He was a few shades lighter than a Water tribesman, his colour a result of a lifetime out on the ocean.

"So, you're the Fire Lord?"

Zuko stood a bit straighter, lifting his chin. "I am. However, I'd prefer if you just called me Zuko." He felt awkward, and not just the usual awkwardness of meeting people he attacked, which he had, unfortunately, grown accustomed to.

The husband scratched his light beard. "Hmm, Fire Lord, eh? Come here." He stepped out, placing a hand on Zuko's back and ushering him inside. "Might as well make you useful while you're here."

"Leave the young man alone, Eishun!" Miyuki told him, only getting a grin in response.

Upstairs, Suki found what she was searching for. She slipped them into her kimono and hurried downstairs. She froze when she neared the last steps. Her father stood next to Zuko, arms crossed, while her mother stood to the side, smirking with a shake of the head. Zuko pointed at the fireplace and a small fireball ignited the wood.

"Oh, Suki, dear. Hello." Eishun said when he spotted her after she placed her head into her palms and slowly exhaled.

"Zuko, would you mind heating up the kettle too?" Miyuki said, placing the kettle on its stand.

Zuko laughed "Of course." With another flick of his wrist the bottom of the stand flamed. Just as the kettle boiled, the collar of his robe tightened around his neck and a tug from behind pulled him backwards. Suki's parents watched, amused as she dragged him out of the door.

"Nice meeting you!" Miyuki said through a giggle before he disappeared behind the door frame.

Suki quickly moved to slide the door closed; her father's voice was the last thing they heard. "He's a useful little spark rock, isn't he?" Suki groaned as they walked away.

"They seem nice," Zuko said, fixing his collar.

"Don't even start."

"I'm being serious!" He chuckled when she shot him a glare. "If your father isn't trying to bend the world to his will, then you should probably be happy." Suki's eyes widened and she stopped mid-step.

She stared at him. Zuko tilted his head, confused. He had that stupidly cute smirk on his face. She took a moment to collect herself and just before he said something, a big grin spread across her face. She stepped back up next to him and lightly shouldered into him. He had no idea how happy it made her to hear him say that.

Zuko became only more bewildered but she had already continued walking. He opened his mouth to speak, closed it, and with a small smile walked after her.

They strolled together quietly, along a path that past by the elder's house and wound down behind one of the mountains. The sky began to turn orange as the sun neared the horizon. Zuko pulled his robe tighter around himself as the evening air grew colder. A small cemetery came into view. His eyebrows shot up and he slowed his pace. The area was nicely maintained, and every headstone was a simple plain one. Some were much more worn than the others. There were flowers and other items of remembrance on some of the newer, brighter headstones. He matched Suki's slow walk. Her gaze methodically read over each headstone until she finally found the one she wanted: _Eiko Akinori._

Suki took a deep breath, a fist held against her chest, knelt beside the grave and placed the other hand on the corner of the headstone. "I'm sorry I didn't come sooner, Aunt Eiko," Suki said softly. There was a shake to her voice which she barely controlled. Zuko furrowed his brow before looking away, towards the ground. Suki gripped the corner even tighter to stop the trembling of her fingers. "But I'm here—here now..." Her breath caught in her throat. Zuko raised his gaze just as tears now freely flowed down her cheeks. Zuko placed a hand over his mouth and sighed. Suki stayed where she was for a few minutes, neither saying anything. After some time, she stood and wiped away the tears with the sleeve of her kimono. She took a step back, returning to Zuko's side. She turned her head to him, and for a moment he looked away. His shoulders heaved up and down before he turned back.

"My condolences, Suki." She swallowed, nodded and looked back to the grave. Zuko bit his lip. "If I had known, I would have organised transportation as quickly as possible."

"I know you would have," Suki quietly said. A sniff, and she pressed her eyes tightly closed. A hand gently squeezed she shoulder.

"I...I know what it's like to lose someone you love," Zuko told her as her eyes opened and turned his way. "I was...lucky. I got her back. Not many get to say that." He glanced away and bit his lip again. Suki brought her hand across and laid it atop his. His eyes snapped back to hers. "Just know...that if you need to talk, I'm always here."

"Thank you." She lightly patted his hand and slowly slid hers off his, and he followed suit. "She wasn't my actual aunt, by the way," Suki said after a few seconds. Zuko's eyebrows shot up, and he gestured for her to explain. She smiled sadly and let out a small laugh. "She was..." She pursed her lips. "The matron of our village. One of the oldest surviving Kyoshi Warriors on the entire Island. If you wanted something done, you went to her. She...she also used to train me when I was a young girl."

"Clearly you were close to her."

Suki nodded and looked back to the headstone. "She had been the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors in her day. She was a big part of why I trained and fought so hard in the first place." Once more, she shut her eyes to fight back tears. "To think, so much has changed since I left...what else have I missed?"

Zuko simply stayed silent, instead looking out over some of the other graves. Some of the headstones caught his eye. Just under half of them had a pair of open fans, which overlapped, at the base of the headstone. Looking back at Eiko's stone, he tilted his head.

"Wondering where her fans are?" Suki asked. She half-smiled at him and reached into her kimono, pulling out a pair of unopened fans. Zuko recognised them; they were the same pair she had stared at on their night together during the Festival of the Setting Sun. Suki turned them around in her hands before staring around at the other graves. "Our war fans are placed by our resting place so that the Kyoshi Warrior can, either in the Spirit World or wherever it is we go, continue to protect Kyoshi Island even in death." Zuko stood a little straighter and gazed off into the orange-coloured sky. Suki's grip tightened on the weapons. "She gave them to me when I left to fight in the war." She glanced up at Zuko and smirked. "She wanted me to...smack a couple of Fire Nation heads together, and give her old weapons a bit of life again."

Zuko crossed his arms and grinned. "You certainly did more than just smack a couple heads together. So you've had them with you all this time."

"I only carried them if I had a feeling there would be a fight. Every day during that bloody war, for example, or when we were attacked by the New Ozai Society. I just felt wrong that day and it turned out I was right."

Zuko tilted his head to the side. "Then why did you have them during the festival? They were the pair you were holding, right?" Suki, surprised, gave Zuko an impressed look.

"Well, you were right when you saw them the first time. I...started carrying them around because I felt homesick." She ran her tongue along her lips. "A bit ironic." Zuko chuckled as she went to put them in place. She paused. Turning the fans in her hands so that the symbols engraved in the sides faced her. She lined one on top of the other, lengthways, and the symbols formed the full sentence. _**Love and Loyalty - Define my Identity.**_ She stepped back and hugged herself. She let out a deep sigh, and felt Zuko's arm wrap around her shoulders, simply comforting her. For the first time since they had landed, she felt relaxed. There were worries, but those were for another time. Right now, she was content. She turned in towards Zuko, slipping her arms underneath his and resting the side of her head on his chest, and pulled him tightly against her. Zuko, somewhat taken aback, brought his other arm around her as well.

"Thank you for coming with me, Zuko."

He remained silent for a few moments. Suki's head gently rose and fell with each of Zuko's breaths. Through the small gap between their bodies, she gazed at Eiko's resting place. She turned her head into Zuko's chest, drying the tears that had started up again against his robe. Zuko finally spoke.

"Of course, anytime."

They stayed in each others arms for some time. Zuko found himself staring out into the still orange, but now darkening sky. It felt as if the Kyoshi Warriors of old were somewhere there, watching over the island; watching them. After another few minutes, Suki eventually realised she had grown far too comfortable in Zuko's arms, and she broke the hug."Thanks." She begins to say more, before her eyes widened. "I am so sorry."

Zuko simply grinned and looked down at his robe, which was now stained with bright red and white war-paint. He waved his hand. "It's fine. I have plenty of these."

Suki smiled and scratched the back of her neck. She looked back to the headstone and nodded to herself. She looked up at the almost dark sky, where just the last of the sun's light held back the night. "Let's head home. Don't want anyone worried that they lost the Fire Lord." The pair shared a laugh, and strolled back along the path they came, quietly talking as the light finally surrendered to the encroaching night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An extra long chapter, following Suki on her first day back on her island. This story has continued to surprise me (yes that's possible!) and challenge me with writing types of scenes I've never tried before! I was delighted I was able to tie those fans from Unintentional Dating back into the story in what I hope was an interesting way with some world-building.
> 
> With my first year of college starting in just a couple of days, writing is likely going to take a backseat for a while until I settle myself. I'm not really able to give an idea on when chapter 4 will be out. However, if you want to ask, or have any other questions, feel free to PM me!
> 
> Guest reviewers - Check profile for responses.
> 
> A big thanks to Ness Frost for being my beta for this chapter.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and as always would love to hear your opinion on it so far, or any little comments you may have. Consider following if you'd like to keep up with the story. Thanks for reading!


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